Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There was support from some organizations, from the Table de concertation pour les personnes réfugiées et immigrantes and all the organizations that assist refugees and immigrants, given that I have always taken part in work...

Citizenship and Immigration committee  When I started my case, I was living in Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, and I had support from Réal Ménard, who knows me personally. At present I am living in the east end, and my M.P. is Francine Lalonde, who also knows me personally. There is also Meili Faille, who represented that riding and who wrote a letter of support in my case.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, I was there.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Which means they are not entitled to... What are the benefits called?

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Absolutely.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I meant simply that they were born here, they are Canadian citizens, they have Canadian passports, but they do not enjoy all the rights enjoyed by other Canadians.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Child benefits, whether at the provincial or federal level, and even for health insurance, it is somewhat limited. So I don't understand. In some drug stores, when you present the health insurance card, you pay more than in others. I have never understood exactly what the problem is and I always wonder why how they are treated depends on how we are treated.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  No, absolutely nothing, Ms. Folco. You know, the case of Congo, as I said earlier... I know that at present, part of your study deals with Iraqi refugees. I know that for some years there has been a study of Algerian refugees. Three or four years ago, I think, there were decisions about Algerian refugee cases.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you for your question, Ms. Chow. It's true, I thought that if I had had an opportunity to be heard by two or three board members, the result would have been different. My story is clear. I noticed that there were things in the board member's decision that I had never said at the hearing myself.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  When I saw that, I said that whoever had made that decision had a problem. The decision affected the future of an entire family and the people behind me, not just mine. You see me here, but as an African, I have a large family behind me. That decision does not affect just me. When that decision was made...

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I came here as a refugee.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  That's what I said in my presentation. My asylum claim was refused. I made my claim when I arrived, in 1999. It was considered in 2002. That took months. I had no news, I had to write to the chairperson of the board myself to express my concerns. In 2004, four and a half years after I arrived, the board gave me its answer, which was negative.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  That's what's missing. When I arrived in 1999, the old law was in force. In theory, I was supposed to have access to two or three board members. In 2002, the new law was enacted and I appeared before a single member. When it was decided that there would be one member, provision was made for an appeal process.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Chair, Members of Parliament and members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, I would like to thank you for the honour and opportunity of appearing before your Committee today to discuss the issue of undocumented workers. For your information, my name is Félicien Ngankoy Isomi and I am originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.